Oceanclaw's Past
by WebbiesandFics
Summary: "It all happened so fast.. First I was with my family, and then they were gone. I was left all alone in the wilderness, with no food, no shelter. Nothing. Then, you came and found me. You saved me. Right then I knew I was going to survive. But I would have never thought to be where I am right now. Thank you. Thank you so much. You made me who I am, and I love you for that.."
1. Prologue

**Heyo fellow readers! I'm WebbiesandFics, and welcome to my first story. I don't think there is very much to say, other than thanks for reading this. It really means a lot to me. Anyway, this story is based off the book series,** _ **Warriors**_ **, and can intertwine with the original events. This means this story will be taking place in the beginning of the first series (More like two books in).**

 **Keep in mind that some of the characters will be my own, and some will be from the original series.**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I do not own the** _ **Warriors**_ **series. It belongs to Erin Hunter.**

 **Please enjoy! =^.^=**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Prologue~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leaves on trees rustled as warm air blew. Small waves lapped the sandy shore, creating a calmness in the air. A she-cat was sitting a little ways from the shoreline, watching with great interest at the sight of endless water. She stood up and started walking towards the waves, sticking her paw in to feel the cold on her pads. She sighed.

"If only all days were like this. Placid and relaxed, no trouble at all."

"But that can not happen." a voice sounded behind her. She turned around suddenly, and twitched her whiskers.

"Hello Blackpuddle." she meowed in greeting. "What do you mean?"

The voice, turning out to be a tom-cat, stepped out of the shadow of a tree. His black and blue pelt brightened as the sun hit it.

"Peace can not happen yet." he meowed.

"But why not? Why can't it be peaceful?" the she-cat protested.

"That is another clan's problem." Blackpuddle mewed. "Though it may not seem clear to you right now, you have nothing to do with the peace between the clans."

"Then why am I getting these dreams about endless water?" the she-cat asked. "It has always occurred to me that this dream meant an endless reconciliation between all of us.."

"You are wrong Blueear." Blackpuddle spoke. "You are right in a way. This dream means something, but not what you are thinking." Blueear perked up at this.

"It means something, but what?" she took a few steps forward.

"I.. can't tell you directly." Blackpuddle meowed. "But I can tell you this.."

he looked down at his paws, and then looked back up to stare into Blueear's eyes.

" _Water so great will rise to your attention, so great that you can not ignore it."_ the words that came out of Blackpuddle's mouth confused Blueear. She tried to interpret it a little more, but Blackpuddle wasn't finished. " _Control and lead this water back to it's path, for there will be more water in the future."_

"Wait.. what? I don't understand!" Blueear was starting to get frustrated. "Please! Why can't you just tell me?" she pleaded. Blackpuddle padded over to her and touched her shoulder with the tip of his tail.

"Trust me. I would tell you, but this is something you need to find out on your own. I wouldn't keep secrets from my own daughter unless Starclan wants it to be a secret."

Suddenly, Blueear started feeling hazy.

"Blackpuddle? Blackpuddle? Father?" but Blackpuddle had already disappeared amongst the shadows. Then, everything went black. Blueear woke up in her bedding, rustling the ferns and sticks around her.

"Hey, what gives?" Blueear had woken up her denmate.

"Oh. Sorry Loudbelly." she quickly apologized.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Loudbelly curled his tail over his nose and went back to sleep. Blueear sighed and poked her head out of the den. She looked up at the sky and stared at the stars.

"Oh father.. what do you mean?"

 **E/N: Yay! Prologue is done! To be honest it was kind of hard, trying to capture the emotion and detail in the writing. Well, thank you for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Remember that some events might change original events, and please review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Heyo fellow readers! This is Webbies here with the next chapter of** _ **Oceanclaw's Past.**_ **We can now get into the real deal… I also decided to write this chapter early because it would be easier. So please enjoy! Once again, please review, and tell me what you think of it too!**

 **Keep in mind that some of the characters will be my own, and some will be from the original series. (In this chapter, all characters are OCs)**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I do not own the** _ **Warriors**_ **series. It belongs to Erin Hunter.**

 **Here we go! (=^** **･ｪ･** **^=)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunlight shone through a window as a dark blue pelt rose and fell on a small pillow. A snoring kitten was sleeping through the morning, letting the sun touch her fur. The warmth of it made her even sleepier, and she curled herself into an even tighter ball. But before she could delve deeper into slumber, a high-pitched voice sounded loudly in her ear.

"Pearl? Pearl!" Pearl opened her eyes slightly. She could make out an orange pelt and brown eyes in front of her, both of which not staying in the same place. She opened her eyes up wider and saw her brother darting from one pillow to another. "Get up Pearl!"

"Uhgg.. what is it Finn?" Pearl mewed drowsily.

"Mom and dad came back with some fresh kill today!" Finn had finally stopped bouncing around and stopped to face Pearl.

"Wait.. really?" Pearl was just about ready to bounce around like Finn had did.

"Yeah! Really! Come on!" Finn meowed, turning tail and sprinting away.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Pearl got up from her pillow and ran after her brother. The two laughed as they raced across the room. Pearl was about to catch up to Finn, when she suddenly saw her mother, Ocean, standing where Finn was heading. Finn looked back at Pearl and chuckled, his chuckle turning into a confused smirk as he saw Pearl skidding to a stop. He turned his head and gasped as he collided with his mother's leg. Ocean looked down at the small kit, and lifted him up with her paw. She smiled as her son, who stared blankly back at her.

"Hi mom." Finn mewed quickly. Pearl held back a snicker and padded over to the two cats. Ocean gently put Finn down, and he instantly started twisting around her legs. "Whatcha' bring mom? Whatcha' bring?" he meowed, staring up into his mom's eyes.

"Well, how about you stand still and I'll tell you." Ocean spoke with a hint of laughter in her voice. Finn swiftly sat down, Pearl sitting down next to him in the process. "Okay, here you are." Ocean pushed out a white bird from behind her. The kits gasped in amazement.

"Wow!" they both said in sync.

"You both can share it. Your father and I will share this one." Ocean pointed her tail towards another bird in her mate, Sea's, mouth.

"Yeah, 'cause I caught it. You, on the other paw, had trouble catching that one. You just don't want to be reminded of your clumsiness." the tom's meow was muffled by the feathers of the bird, a playful spark in his eyes.

"Oh be quiet Sea!" Ocean looked at him, a grin forming on her mouth.

"You know it's true, Ocean!" Sea flicked the tip of Ocean's ear with his tail. The two cats looked at each other and purred, padding away towards the back of the room. Pearl and Finn looked at one another, and mewed in disgust.

"Uhg, grown cats.." Finn whispered to Pearl.

"I know right?" Pearl whispered back. She looked at the bird that was on the floor next to them. "We should probably take this now."

"Yeah, you're right." Finn went over to the bird and began tugging at it's leg with his teeth. "Hey! A little help here?"

"Oh! Right." Pearl padded over and helped haul the bird onto Finn's back. "You sure you got it? It's kind of heavy." Pearl looked at the bird's size and could tell it was putting a bit of pressure on her brother's spine.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Finn meowed through gritted teeth.

"Okay.. if you're so sure." Pearl started padding towards the corner her parents were at. Finn padded after her.

"Hey Pearl?"

'"Yes Finn?"

"Where do you think our twoleg has gone?" Finn looked at Pearl with expectant eyes, as if he thought she knew the answer to everything. Pearl looked at the floor for a moment.

"Well.. they could have gone anywhere.." she looked back up at Finn. "Where do you think they went?"

"Well, I don't know.. That's why I'm asking you!" Finn meowed, tilting himself to adjust the bird on his back. Pearl just rolled her eyes.

"Look, Finn. If we want to get on with our lives, we're going to have to forget about our twoleg." she mewed. Though she felt doubt creeping along her back as she said that. Their twoleg had taken care of their mother her whole life, and when finding their father, they took him in. It seemed like the twoleg really cared, and Pearl was addled once she found out that they had abandoned her and her family.

"Pearl? Do you think.. maybe.. we could find them?" Finn asked at last. Pearl's ears twitched and her neck-fur stood up.

"Now why in all of the forest would you want to do that?!" Pearl stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't believe her brother would ask that. It was sad to know that their twoleg was gone, but trying to find them would be ridiculous!

"Well, I just thought-"

"I told you Finn!" Pearl snapped. "We are _fine_ without our twoleg! And that's that!" Pearl started to stalk away from the surprised kit, and she couldn't help but feel surprised herself. Why had she snapped like that? Was the subject really that touchy? Pearl let her neck-fur lie flat again. She had to calm down and think of this another time.

"Is everything alright over there?" Ocean had called across the room. She must have heard the sudden commotion.

"We're fine mom!" Pearl heard Finn meow loudly. After hearing him, Ocean twitched the tip of her tail and continued to eat the remains of her bird. Pearl came and sat down next to Sea.

"What were you and Finn talking about? Sounded serious." her father asked, concern showing in his voice.

"Oh! That? That was just.. uh… who gets the first bite of the bird!" Pearl mewed briskly. Finn had just come over to sit next to her, and started to pluck off some of the snow-white feathers of the bird. "Um.. hey! Finn, I told you I wanted the first bite!" Pearl mewled at Finn crossly, baring her teeth in attempts to making her look cross.

"Wait.. you never said- hey!" Finn hissed as Pearl pulled the bird away with her claws. She took a huge bite and chewed thoroughly, not minding the feathers that got stuck in her whiskers. Finn glared at her and pulled the bird towards him again, continuing to pull feathers off the bird's tail.

* * *

Paws pounded the sandy ground as Finn and Pearl chased each other through rocks and bushes. Pearl has almost caught up with Finn, is tail within her grasp. Feeling her muscles tense and her shoulders retracting, Pearl pounced on Finn. The two kits hit the ground and rolled around, sand getting picked up by their fur.

"Get off me you vicious clan cat!" Finn yowled in a blithe manner.

"Never! You have intruded in our camp!" Pearl showed her teeth and gently nipped Finn's ear.

"Ouch! I'm down!" Finn pretended to go limp underneath Pearl. Meanwhile, Sea and Ocean were sitting near the water, tails intertwined. Pearl glanced towards them for a heartbeat, but before she could react, Finn had wriggled out from beneath her and launched himself into her back. Pearl gave a surprised squeak as Finn managed to tip her over and hold her down with his paws. "Haha! Look who's losing now!"

"Kits! Come look at the sunset!" Ocean had called. Finn looked up and got off of Pearl. The dark blue she-cat stood up and cuffed Finn softly on the ear, earning a fake growl in return. The two kits bounded over to their parents, coming to sit between them as they usually did when watching sunsets. Pearl slipped between her father's paws and curled up next to Ocean, feeling Finn's pelt brush hers as he went to sit with Sea. She turned to face the sun, its brightness shining so beautifully. The mixture of red and orange mesmerized Pearl, and she could sense that Finn was feeling the same way. She heard him gasp a couple of times, and she occasionally stole a glance at him. His eyes would be widened and his tail would be sticking straight up, his body leaning forward a little bit. At one point, he leaned forward too much and fell flat on his whiskers. Pearl giggled and looked back at the sun, seeing how it has gone farther down since they got there. Then, Finn spoke up.

"Why does the sun set?" he mewed, glancing up at Sea.

"Hmm.. that's a hard question Finn." Sea narrowed his eyes. "Maybe the sun just gets tired after shining so bright all day."

"The sun gets tired?" Finn pressed on with his questions.

"Well, yes. I suppose so." Sea looked down warmly at Finn.

"Hmm. It makes sense?" Finn shifted his paws. "But after watching the sun for so long, my eyes are the ones that are getting tired."

"Well, it is getting late. We should go back inside before the hunters come out." Ocean had gotten up and stretched. She padded away towards the twoleg nest, Finn and Sea following. But Pearl had stayed behind. She wanted to see the sun go down all the way. If it was true that the sun got tired, then she wanted to see it rest. Pearl stayed there for a couple more heartbeats before her mother called out to her. "Pearl!"

"Coming mother!" Pearl had meowed. She looked at the sun once more, then padded after her family. When they all got inside, they went over to where the pillows were stacked. Ocean got a giant pillow from the stack and pulled it out. Finn tried getting a pillow of his own, but ended up failing. Instead, Sea pulled out a pillow for him. Finn mewed in delight as his father placed the pillow down. Pearl went over and curled up on the pillow, Finn right by her side. She could see her parents lie down on the other one, closing their eyes. Pearl put her chin on top of Finn's head.

"Goodnight Finn." she yawned.

"Goodnight Pearl." Finn replied, just as Pearl slipped into sleep, waiting for a dream to take over her thoughts.

 **E/N: Chapter done yo! Thanks for reading and please review! Also, stay tuned for the next chapter, as things will start to get pretty exciting ;) Well, until next time. Bye bye!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Heyo fellow readers! Welcome back to another chapter of** _ **Oceanclaw's Past**_ **. Last chapter we found out about our main character, Pearl. But I have to warn you, this chapter gets kinda sad. So.. sorry about that.**

 **Keep in mind that some of the characters will be my own, and some will be from the original series. (All characters are OCs in this chapter)**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I do not own the** _ **Warriors**_ **series. It belongs to Erin Hunter.**

 **Please enjoy! 'o'**

~~~~~Chapter 2~~~~~~

Pearl woke with a start as she heard a loud crash. She stood up and looked around, flicking her ears. Once she heard nothing else other than silence, she decided it was just her imagination, and layed back down. She once again rested her head on Finn's, but was interrupted by a sudden light shining over her.

 _What in the-? Is it morning already?_ Pearl thought to herself. She looked at one of the broken windows and saw that it was still dark. _Wait.. broken windows?_ Pearl glanced up and arched her back. Neck fur bristling, she meowed into the darkness.

"M-m-mother.. Father!" Pearl screeched. A twoleg had broken into the house! It was carrying some sort of thing that can make light, and it was shining it on the family of sleeping cats. "Wake up! Wake up!" Pearl kept yowling at her parents. She went over to Finn and shook him. He didn't stir.

"Finn! Finn!" Pearl kept shaking him. "Finn! Twoleg!" When Pearl shouted this, Finn blinked open his eyes.

"Huh? What?"

"Pearl? What's going-" Ocean had woken up. Her fur instantly fluffed up at the sight of the unknown twoleg. Sea was right at her side, hissing and unsheathing his claws. The twoleg started moving forward.

"Pearl! Finn! Move it!" Sea had yelled. Finn was wide awake now.

"Wait? A twoleg! Is it-" Finn started. Pearl was pushing him away from the twoleg, it's paws reached out now.

"Finn! Go!" Pearl hollered at the stunned orange cat. The kits started to run, moving as fast as their paws could go. Right next to them, their parents were running as well. Pearl heard the twoleg's steps as they started to move faster, and then heard it say something. That's when Finn was dragged backwards. He yowled and squealed as twoleg paws grabbed him from behind. Pearl looked beside her shock. Finn was being taken away! Pearl then saw her father dart behind her. He had lunged at one of the twoleg's legs, digging his claws and teeth into it. The twoleg yelped, but didn't let go of Finn.

"Pearl!" Pearl heard Ocean call for her. She then felt teeth in her scruff, and looked up at her mother. Ocean started carrying Pearl away from her father and the twoleg. She saw the twoleg trying to kick Sea off, and saw that Finn was trying to scrabble out of it's grip.

"Wait! Mom!" Pearl was straining to catch Ocean's eye. "What about dad and Finn?"

"They'll catch up with us! Right now, we need to get you out of this house!" Ocean meowed through Pearl's pelt. Ocean had raced around the stacked pillows and leaped a great length out of an open window. She and Pearl landed on the soft ground outside of the house, and rushed into a cluster of ferns. Pearl felt wind whisking through her fur as they ran through more branches and bushes, leaves hitting her paws and face at every turn. Ocean then started coming to a stop in a small clearing. She dropped Pearl on the ground and looked around, sniffing for any signs of danger. While she searched the air, Pearl sat on the ground thinking to herself.

 _What happened? Why did it happen? What is a twoleg doing near the ocean? Was that the twoleg that abandoned us so many night-falls ago?_ Pearl kept asking herself the same questions over and over again. But she asked herself one question that worried her more than the others. _Will Finn be okay?_

Of course Pearl worried about her father, but Finn was actually being held by a twoleg. A twoleg! Pearl could still remember the screeches and caterwauls made by Finn, her father putting all his strength and wits together to get his son back.

"Pearl? Are you okay?" Pearl had been so focused in her thoughts, she didn't realize her mother coming up behind her. She twisted her head around.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I don't know if dad and Finn are." her ears drooped and she looked down at her paws.

"I'm sure your father will be fine. He is a strong cat, and he will save Finn. Believe in him, Pearl." Ocean pressed her nose to Pearl's muzzle.

"I'm trying to believe, but I just don't know… Did you see the size of that twoleg? And that thing he was carrying.. It looked dangerous.." Pearl shook off Ocean and looked at her with sadness in her eyes. Ocean blinked sympathetically at Pearl.

"I know how you feel Pearl. Sometimes, we have our doubts, and it's okay. But we need to believe that it will work. If we don't believe, it won't work at all." Ocean had curled her hail around Pearl and pulled her close. Pearl looked up her mother, both of them sharing a glance of melancholy. Suddenly, Pearl heard the bushes rustling. Ocean stood up with her tail still around Pearl, her fur bristling and her claws unsheathed. The bushes shook even more, and Sea jumped out. He was limping, and his tail was so close to the ground it was almost dragging. There was no sign of an orange pelt anywhere.

"Sea!" Ocean bounded over to the dark greenish pelted tom and presses her nose to his ear. "Where's Finn?" Pearl's mother looked behind Sea, expecting to see the small kit bouncing after his father. Sea looked at Ocean, his eyes filled with grief. Pearl felt icy claws gripping her stomach. Hadn't her father saved Finn? Sea sighed heavily.

"I-I'm sorry.. I-I-... I couldn't-... He's gone… Finn is gone.."

* * *

A soft wind blew through branches, shaking them and causing them to drop dried up leaves. Thickets crackled, and a few pieces of gorse had been picked up in the breeze. They flew past Pearl, who was tracing spirals in the ground. It has been two sunrises since Finn was taken, and Sea, Ocean and Pearl had sheltered in a small tree stump. It stunk of rotten mouse, and Pearl figured that it used to be a prey store for a fox once. She was hoping that they could move to a better shelter soon. That's when Pearl heart crinkling upon the briers. She crouched down low and started stalking towards the sound. She squinted her eyes, and caught a glimpse of a mouse chewing on a berry. Pearl smirked.

 _This mouse is mine!_ She crouched down a little further and got about ready to pounce, when suddenly, her tail brushed against the floor. It caused a leaf to move slightly, and the mouse quickly perked up. It left it's berry and sprinted out of the briers. Pearl struck a paw out, barely grazing the mouse's tail, but it had already gotten away. Pearl cursed silently to herself and reached into where the mouse was eating. She had managed to grab the berry, and she looked at it in interest. Out of curiosity, she popped into into her mouth, only for it to be spat out again. It tasted bitter, and Pearl rasped her tongue over her chest fur, hoping to get the taste out of her mouth. After somewhat getting the berry's flavor off her tongue, she starting padding back to the tree stump.

Pearl poked her head inside the stump, her nose filling up with the rotten smell of mouse. But she also scented something else. Her mother, and sadness. Pearl padded into the stump, and surely enough, Ocean was in the corner lying down. Pearl slowly made her way to her mother and sat down next to her. Ocean hadn't acknowledged that she heard Pearl come up to her, and Pearl thought that she had fallen asleep. That was until Ocean spoke, her voice cracked with anguish.

"Do you remember how Finn asked so many questions? We would have run out of answers by now.." Ocean hadn't turned around when she said this, as if she were afraid of meeting Pearl's eye. "He also-.. He also always wanted to go hunting with me and your father.. But that.." Ocean stopped talking for a moment.

"Mother.." Pearl started.

"But that never happened!" Ocean wailed in agony. She faced Pearl, her eyes filled with heartbreak. Pearl couldn't stand seeing her mother like this. She had to comfort her in some way, but how? There was no way she could bring Finn back, right? Pearl curled up next to her Ocean, brushing her pelt against hers.

"Hey.. it's going to be okay mother. Finn will always be in our hearts." Pearl stroked her mother's back with her tail. "Everything is alright.."

"Oh Finn.." Ocean pushed her head into her paws.

"Well.. maybe Finn is still alive! In fact, we could probably go save him right now!" Pearl had hopped to her paws. "When father gets back from hunting, we can ask him if he can help us find him!" she prodded Ocean with a paw. Pearl expected Ocean to lighten up at this idea, but instead, Ocean hadn't said anything.

"Mother?" Pearl mewed to Ocean. The room was filled with silence.

"Pearl.." Pearl's mother had finally meowed after a couple of heartbeats. Pearl straightened up. "That.. is the most ridiculous idea I have ever heard of." Pearl's sudden hope had washed away like a leaf stuck in a stream.

"But mom-"

"Pearl. Have you seen what that twoleg was capable of? It can hold balls of light, and it can break windows without it's paws! Have you seen them? They would have been bleeding!" Ocean snapped. "Uhg.. you sound just like your brother.." Pearl's eyes widened at the last part. One heartbeat ago, Pearl's mother was meowing about how much she missed Finn, and now she was talking like he was a disgrace to her family.

 _She's probably just having a hard time. I should leave her alone.._ Pearl thought to herself. Her tail drooped, and she padded away from Ocean. She was then stopped by her father, who had just came into the tree stump with two thrushes and a pheasant. Pearl stared in amazement at Sea's catches. Sea's eyes sparked with pride, only for them to be replaced by concern when he looked up to see Ocean in the corner. He strided over to her and dropped a thrush.

"Here Ocean.. Get better okay?" Sea mewed out of the side of his mouth. Ocean didn't respond, and Sea took that as a sign to leave. He padded back over to Pearl and dropped his pheasant. "Enjoy." he meowed.

"Thanks." Pearl replied. She took the pheasant in her jaws and walked over to the corner that was not occupied by her mother. She started to pick the feathers off her prey. As she bit into it, she thought about telling her father about her plan. But she then remembered how her mother reacted, and her father would be an even harder obstacle because of how he had already failed saving one of his kits. Pearl thought on her idea more.

 _Maybe going after Finn isn't such a good idea. Mother could be right.. Finn is probably dead as we speak.._ Pearl curled her tail closer to her side and started taking smaller bites of the pheasant. Her claws suddenly dug into the ground. _No.._ Pearl bared her teeth.

 _No! I have to find Finn! I just have to! He would have done the same for me.._ Pearl continued to eat her Pheasant in slow bites. She didn't want to eat it too fast, otherwise she would get a stomach ache and not be able to venture out in the night to find Finn.

* * *

Just as both of her parents fell asleep, Pearl slipped out of the tree stump and ran out into the brambles. She struggled through them as they scratched her pelt, and she was relieved when she came to the end of them. Her tail got stuck on one of the brambles and she pulled it out, feeling some of her fur being torn off. She held back a mewl of pain and pulled her tail close to her to lick it. Once she was done, she sat up and looked around in wonder.

 _Wow.. I haven't been to this part of the forest yet.._ Pearl's eyes widened as she saw the stars above her. Her parents would never let her out at night, so this was one of the first times she's seen the stars so close up. Pearl felt a cool breeze blowing through her whiskers, and she felt the sudden urge to run. She flexed out her legs and sprinted through the undergrowth. She rushed past gorse thickets and marigold plants, stepping over broken twigs and large branches.

She then came across a huge log. She narrowed her eyes and increased her speed. She was a few fox lengths away from the log and she felt her paws itching to leap it. She was going so fast she felt like she was flying, and that her paws could take her anywhere. The log was nearing, and Pearl's limbs were growing tired.

 _Come on legs!_ Pearl forced her hind legs to keep going, and saw the log a few tail lengths away. She ran faster and faster, her head spinning. Then when she saw the log was a few whiskers from her face, she leaped. At first, Pearl was in midair. She thought that her paws really were taking her somewhere, as though she were flying like a bird. Then, her paws hit the ground. The force had taken her aback, and she felt her legs go limp beneath her. She landed on her face, tail over whiskers, and started rolling.

 _Rolling!?_ Pearl tried opening her eyes, but dirt had gotten in them, and she was blinded. She was tumbling downhill, her paws flailing everywhere and her fur being torn at by pointy sticks that got in the way. At that moment, Pearl thought that it would never never stop. She thought the pain of rolling down a hill would be endless, and that she would die of her scratches. Then, she thought she was heading towards a cliff. _I never even got to say goodbye to mom and dad! I never got to save Finn! Wait.. Finn!_ Pearl had forgotten all about finding her brother, and the reason she even came out into the forest. She had to find Finn. Still rolling, Pearl unsheathed her claws and forced her paws to come down. Her claws hooked the grass, and she landed on her stomach. Her claws scraped the ground, trying to find something to grip on. Finally, Pearl blinked the dirt out of her eyes and had spotted a rock jutting out of the ground just below her. She took one of her paws and held it out, waiting for the rock to pass by. Her paw suddenly hit the rock, and her claws quickly got a hold of it. With her body aching, she had barely managed to haul herself up on lot the rock. She panted, her claws hurting after the effort of trying to find something to grasp. Pearl looked over the edge of the rock, and her tail shot straight up. There was, indeed, a small gully at the end of the hill. Pearl's ears went flat as she imagined herself tumbling down into the gully, hitting rocks and sharp edges on her way down. She could just see herself lying at the bottom, lifeless and unmoving. She shivered and pushed those dark thoughts away. She had to focus on finding Finn. Pearl looked up and saw a trail of rocks leading back up to where the log was. In a blink of an eye, Pearl started making her way up the rocks. Pawstep after pawstep, Pearl had finally reached the top. Her legs and paws were sore after the running and climbing, and parts of her pelt have been torn off by pointed stems and twigs. She ignored this and started trekking off, trying to pretend nothing happened.

 _But how can I forget that? I almost died.._

Pearl padded through a set of ferns and stood on a dislodged branch when she got to the other side. She was exhausted, and she didn't know if she could cope for much longer.

 _What if mom was right? Maybe this was a ridiculous idea.._ Pearl hung her head and sat on her haunches. She started rasping her tongue over the parts of her pelt she had lost. While licking her chest fur, Pearl couldn't help but glance up. There was something glowing in the distance, something orange and a mixture of yellow. Pearl stopped grooming and stood up, getting a waft of the air. It smelled of burned wood and something else that Pearl could not describe. It was really strong, so it must have been close. Pearl slowly started stalking towards the scent, being careful not to break any loose brambles on the ground. As Pearl got closer, the smell got stronger and stronger, and Pearl had to wrinkle up her nose. Then she heard something move in the brambles. Pearl couldn't smell mouse or vole, and she was getting nervous. The smell she couldn't describe was closest, and she was wondering if it was even another animal. The brambles had shaken even more, and Pearl backed away. The brambles were finally pushed aside, tension sparking throughout Pearl. Fear then sparked in Pearl's pelt.

 _Badger!_

 **E/N: Ooo, cliffhanger! I was originally going to put more in this chapter, but I thought it would be cool to put a cliffhanger. Heheh... So, thanks for reading and please review! Bye bye!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Heyo fellow readers! It's Webbies here, and I welcome you back to** _ **Oceanclaw's Past**_ **. Uhhhgggg, I'm sooo laaate! I'm really sorry about this. Stuff had been going on, and I was finishing up a** _ **Warriors**_ **book. We went on two trips too. My password also hasn't been working, so I had to find out what was wrong. But I know those are just silly excuses, and there is no way to say sorry. I don't even know if anyone is reading this right now! Alrighty into the important stuff. So, we had a cliffhanger in the last chapter, and you are finally going to find out what happens! This chapter will also tie in with an original event of the books. Anyways, on with the story!**

 **Keep in mind that some of the characters will be my own, and some will be from the original series. (I thank** _ **I-really-hope-not**_ **for some of the OCs!)**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I do not own** _ **Warriors**_ **. It belongs to Erin Hunter.**

 **Please enjoy!** **ච** **ᆽ** **ච**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pearl's neck fur bristled in fear as the badger snapped its jaws and started lumbering towards her. It's eyes glowed with hunger, and Pearl scrambled backwards as it swiped a large paw at her. Frozen to the spot, Pearl unsheathed her claws and dug them into the ground. This was it. She was going to die by the paws of a badger.

 _Just when I survived that tumble down the hill!_ Pearl closed her eyes and flattened her ears, waiting for a blow to her head from the beast in front of her. Then, she heard a grunt from the beast and the sounds of yowling cats. Pearl opened one of her eyes and gasped. It was miracle.

The badger was being mauled by Sea, his dark green pelt flashing from side to side as he dodged the creatures blows. Just behind him, Ocean was digging her teeth into the badgers leg. Pearl backed away a bit as the flurry came towards her, and bared her teeth as the badger's claw caught Sea's ear. Sea hissed and slashed his claws across its muzzle, earning a push in return. At this point, Ocean had climbed onto the badger's back and started clawing at the badger's eyes and ears. The badger growled and tried throwing Ocean off. Eventually, Ocean slid off its pelt and landed on the ground, yowling at the black and white creature. She stopped mid-hiss as the badger flung itself at her, teeth bared in a snarl. Ocean widened her eyes and fluffed out her tail. But before the beast could bite at Ocean, Sea jumped in between them and screeched. Pearl dug her claws deeper into the ground as she watched her father get swept up by the badger.

"Sea!" Pearl heard her mother yowl. The badger had Sea by his neck in its jaws, and it started swinging him around like a leaf in the wind. Ocean jumped up and yowled a battle cry, scoring her claws across the badger's flank. The badger roared in anger and threw Sea up in the air, turning its attention to Ocean. Pearl saw her father fly through the air, hitting a tree with a painful thud. Pearl didn't see him get up. She then heard a caterwaul come from her mother, and saw that the badger had grazed its claws across Ocean's side. She slid on the ground, panting and struggling to get up. The badger seemed to have liked Ocean's pain, and started to lumber to her. Ocean had managed to get up, and stood there with her fur sticking up and her eyes crazed in a mixture of fear and rage. The badger lifted a paw and struck it out. Ocean fell again, blood welling out of her cheek. Pearl's tail went straight up.

"Mother!" Pearl wailed. The badger's small ears heard the kit's cry, and turned to look at her. Its eyes were glazed with confusion, which turned to triumph as it saw how helpless Pearl was. Suddenly, there were rustles coming from a bush. A large black paw stepped out, and a head with a white stripe running down it poked it's way through the leaves. Ocean had recovered and finally got up, running to Pearl. Her claws were unsheathed and ready to take on the badgers, willing to protect her daughter. But instead, the second badger had called to the other one. It wasn't growling, and it didn't show hostility in its eyes. It only had a glint of wisdom in them. The first badger had shuffled it's paws angrily, and started lumbering over to the creature that had appeared. Ocean and Pearl shared a quick glance between each other, and watched as the badgers slowly disappeared. The second badger looked back at the cats and blinked, its beady little eyes shining in the moonlight.

Once the badgers were gone, Ocean looked at Pearl in concern and outrage.

"Pearl! What in all of the ocean were you thinking?!" Ocean had snapped. "Your father and I were worried sick about you! You could have been killed! Speaking of your father, where is he?" she turned around and looked at her surroundings, searching for a sign of her mate. Once she spotted Sea's pelt, she rushed over to him, Pearl hard on her paws. "Sea?" Ocean prodded the tom with a paw. Pearl joined in.

"Father? Father come on!" Pearl started shaking Sea. She then realized that her mother had stopped her attempts to wake him. Pearl saw the nasty wound on Sea's neck, blood running out of it and onto the dirt. She immediately stopped shaking him and faced her mother, her eyes growing dim. "Mother? Is father... Dead?" the words had barely slipped out of her mouth. Ocean sighed heavily and looked down at her daughter.

"Yes Pearl.. Your father is-" Ocean couldn't bring herself to say the truth. "He's dead.." as soon as the words came out of Ocean's mouth, Pearl buried her head into Sea's bloodstained fur. She mewled and pushed herself deeper into her father's pelt, his body warmth becoming cold. Pearl felt Ocean's tail running along her back, and looked up at her mother.

"M-mom... What's going to happen now?" Pearl mewed barely above a whisper.

"I.. I don't know Pearl…" Ocean had meowed. "I don't know…"

* * *

Pearl felt dirt stuck between her claws. She and her mother had just finished burying Sea, and they were heading back to their shelter at a slow pace. Sadness hung in the air like fog, and Pearl's paws were starting to ache.

 _Why had Sea gone like that? And right after Finn was taken?_ The thought stung Pearl like a thorn stuck in her pad. Rain had begun to fall, and her pelt was beginning to soak up.

"Mother, how much longer?" she mewed.

"I know your paws are hurting Pearl, but I promise we are almost there. Hold on a bit okay?" Ocean meowed, padding a little faster. Pearl sighed and shook her head, getting most of the raindrops off. After a few moments of silence, a flash of light came from somewhere in the distance.

"Mother? What was that?" Pearl's voice shook a little. She took a step closer to Ocean.

"Oh that? That was just lightning my dear. It shouldn't be so dangerous since it's close to the end of fall." Ocean meowed soothingly, giving Pearl a reassuring lick on her ear.

"Oh, okay." Pearl glanced up at the sky. "What is lightning?" she mewed as another flash went across the darkness. Ocean was silent for a moment.

"Well, lightning can be many things. It can be a sign of hope, the light that will lead you home. Or it can be deadly, striking any creature that comes across its path." Ocean described, slowing her pace to help Pearl catch up.

"Hm." Pearl kicked up a bit of the ground. "What kind of lightning is this?" her mind was filling up with questions every moment.

"I don't know Pearl. We will just have to wait and see." Ocean answered, a hint of amusement in her meow. She started to slow down suddenly, her back hunching over and her teeth baring. Pearl stopped in her tracks.

"Mother? What's wrong?" Pearl asked worryingly.

"No, no. I'm alright Pearl. It's just.. my wounds. They are starting to get to me." Ocean sat down and started rasping her tongue over the long scratches on her fur.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Pearl padded over to her mother and rubbed her cheek against Ocean's chest fur.

"I can assure you I'm fine." Ocean said between licks. Pearl stared at her mother, shifting her paws nervously. When they had lost Finn, she was concerned for her mother, and now that Sea was gone, Pearl would spend every last waking moment trying to be there for her. Then, a sudden noise came from the sky. It was loud, and it echoed through the trees.

"Mother? What was-" Pearl was cut off by a loud crash, and an abrupt blast of light. Ocean quickly got off her haunches and yowled at Pearl.

"Pearl! Run!" Pearl was confused and scared by Ocean's reaction, and saw a shadow crossing the ground. Pearl looked up and screeched. A giant tree was hurtling towards them. She spun on her paws and ran away from the tree, its flaming branches lighting up the night sky. Pearl then heard a caterwaul behind her, and stopped to turn around. But the tree had fallen to the ground. It hit it with such force, it flung Pearl into the air. She landed in nearby briars, her paws and tail getting tangled in the many leaves and branches. Her vision was blurred, and she could just make out bright orange and yellow. She straightened herself and sniffed the air, a tangy scent filling her nose.

 _Fire!_ Pearl untangled herself from the briars and stood up on her paws, looking around in shock. Fire had spread along the tree that fell, and smoke was filling the air, barely viable against the dark sky. Then it struck her. Where was her mother?

"Mom? Mom! Where are you!?" Pearl shouted, turning around in circles in attempts to find Ocean. She finally saw a glimpse of smoky white fur, stained with red and brown. "Mother!" Pearl rushed over to the grown she-cat, her paws skidding on the rocks and dust. Fire surrounded the two cats, and Pearl started prodding at her mother. She noticed that Ocean was lodged under the flaming tree.

"Mother.." Pearl pressed herself to the floor and looked at her mother in the eyes.

"G-g-go.. Pearl.." Ocean croaked out, one eye opened. "Get yourself out of here before.. the f-fire.." she coughed. Pearl pushed her nose to Ocean's ear.

"Mother.. I can't leave you… I've already lost everyone.." Pearl let out a small mewl. "I can't lose you too!" she had yelled out. Ocean gave a weak smile.

"Pearl.. my sweet daughter.." she put a paw on Pearl's. "You are the light that will lead your own path.. I will always be with you know matter what… Just not by your side.."

"But mom.. how can I find my own path?" Pearl managed to mew out to Ocean, embers falling on her fur.

"Just follow your hopes.. and a path will end up lighting its way to your future.." Ocean closed both of her eyes. "I-I.. Love you Pearl.."

"M-m-mother… Mother!" Pearl cried out. She then let out a yowl of pain and sorrow throughout the night. She turned tail and ran, looking back at her mother with despair filled eyes. A narrow gap that the fire had left was closing up, and Pearl ran out of it fast. She sprinted farther and farther away from the fire, her paws never stopping. Her eyes never looking back.

* * *

Cold air ruffled Pearl's pelt, her fur already messy. She gave it a good lick and treaded on through the undergrowth. Except, there wasn't much of it. The first snow had fallen, and Pearl was definitely not prepared for it. She had been walking for ages, even sunrises. Her paws were numb from the cold of the forest floor and she was freezing. She hadn't found good food because she couldn't hunt for herself, and she had to eat carcasses that were leftover from the previous hunter. Her stomach growled, her paw steps growing weaker and weaker. Her legs shook, and with one more step, Pearl fell to the ground. Her pelt, now covered in snow, was freezing. She could feel the slight breeze starting to take her, her body resisting to move from it. A sudden dizziness took over her, and her eyes started to close.

 _I guess this is it.._ Pearl thought. _At least all of my family is gone, so there would be no use of me if I stay alive._ She finally closed her eyes, her breathing slowing. Snow fell gently, leaves crackling in the distance. Pearl's ears pricked as the crackling grew louder. She was thinking that it was just her mind creating the sounds, but by the time it had stopped, something grabbed her scruff. Pearl let out a small gasp.

"W-wha-"

"Shh. It's okay kit. I have you now." a voice had spoken, it being muffled by Pearl's neck fur. Pearl was lifted off the floor, and blinked her eyes to get a better focus of her rescuer. It was a white she-cat, spots of light blue on her body. Her eyes were a sparkling blue, shining with kindness and concern. Almost like Ocean's eyes when she saw her kits hurt. They started moving, and each step made Pearl's stomach hurt. She had no idea who this cat was, and she was scared that she was being kitnapped. She started to struggle.

"It's okay kit. You are going to be fine. I'm taking you to a better place." the she-cat's voice was soothing, and Pearl stopped struggling. If she _were_ being kitnapped, then why would this cat be calm and concerned? Pearl looked down at the snow, seeing how unwelcoming it looked. She couldn't believe she had lay there to die! But then she thought about her family and how they all suffered a fate. The ground became welcoming again, and Pearl wanted to be dropped. She opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by small paw-steps coming towards her and the she-cat.

"Over here Sandkit! I hear something!"

"Whitekit! Wait up! It could be dangerous!"

"I can take care of myself mouse-brain!" the paw-steps grew closer and closer, until Pearl could see the lithe bodies of two kits. One of them was a pale cream with brown speckles, her golden eyes going along with her pelt. The other one was a sandy golden tom with green eyes. He was taller than his companion, who was standing as still as stump. The she-cat who was holding Pearl suddenly spoke, making Pearl flinch.

"Whitekit, Sandkit.. what are you doing out of camp?" the she-cat's tone was stern and very displeased. Pearl guessed that the two kits must of snuck out from their home. She remembered that Finn always snuck out, asking Pearl to come with him each time. She would hesitate, but agree in the end. But the two would always get caught, and their parents would be extremely mad at them. It wasn't much of a difference for these kits.

"Oh! Um.. hi there Blueear.." the cream she-kit looked at her paws with a grumpy look on her face. She must have been disappointed that she was caught.

"I suppose you are going to escort us back to camp?" the sandy colored kit asked with discontent in his voice.

"Yes! What would your mother think? You two sneaking off like that? Does she even know you kits are away?" Blueear questioned, Pearl still firmly being held.

"We just-.. who is that?" the cream she-kit asked, looking at the small blue kit in Blueear's mouth.

"You'll find out soon enough once we get you back to camp. Now move it! You two are going to be in big trouble." Blueear started to move, gently pushing at the kits with her paws.

"Aww! But we want to go adventuring! It's boring in camp!" the she-kit protested.

"You'll go on plenty of adventures when you are an apprentice. Now move along." Blueear kept pushing the kits, urging them to go faster.

 _Camp? Apprentice? What are they talking about?_ Pearl thought to herself. All that she knew, is that she was being taken by a stranger and she was hungry. _What is going on?_

As soon as Pearl started squirming again, she saw a beautiful silver tabby come out of the bushes. Every cat stopped padding and stared at the she-cat, her pelt soaked and a bit starry-eyed.

"Silverstream? What in Starclan are you doing? You're soaked!" Blueear cried out. The two kits' fur was bristling, and the sandy kit stepped defensively in front of the other one. He quickly stepped out of the way as he saw the silver tabby.

"Blueear! I was just.. Um.. fishing!" the cat they called Silverstream meowed, shaking her fur off quickly. "I just fell in." she added.

"Well.. okay then." Blueear mewed slowly out of the side of her mouth, remembering that she was carrying a kit. She quickly padded away, leaving the other cats behind. The wind ruffled Pearl's whiskers as they moved, causing her to become even more cold than before. Her jaw felt numb, and her tail swayed helplessly. She squeaked out as Blueear jumped over a few rocks. This caused Blueear to slow down a bit. They started coming to a stop, and as soon as Blueear stalled, voices rang out.

"Blueear! Wait! Who is that?" Silverstream and the kits had followed them. Blueear had meowed something, but Pearl didn't listen. Her vision was getting blurry, and her ears were ringing. And the last thing Pearl saw, was a wide open space, and many cats.

 **A/N: Once again, I am really, really sorry for not writing in a long time. I tried getting into my account but my password just wouldn't work. Anyways, see you in the next chapter of** ** _Oceanclaw's Past._**


	5. Chapter 4

**Heyo everybody! It's Webbies here, and welcome back to** _ **Oceanclaw's Past**_ **. Now I have been working hard on this chapter (even though it's fairly short), changing up a few events. And now, I have come up with the final product! So here it is! Also, this chapter will tie into original events.**

 **Keep in mind that some of the characters will be my own, and some will be from the original series. (Also a small cameo of** _ **I-really-hope-not's**_ **characters!)**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **I do not own** _ **Warriors**_ **. It belongs to Erin Hunter.**

 **Please enjoy! (^-** **人** **-^)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pearl blinked her eyes slowly open. She looked around and saw she was in a strange den, the smell of herbs in the air. She then felt something prickling her pelt. Pearl looked under her and saw she was laying on a pile of sticks and moss. It was really uncomfortable, not like the pillows she slept on at home. But before Pearl could get up and gather her surroundings, a voice had spoken up.

"Ah. Awake already I see." Pearl turned her head around, only to come face to face with a long haired tom. His light brown pelt blended in with the den, and Pearl realized he was mixing around leaves under his paws.

"Where.. where am I?" Pearl mewed quietly, her voice a little raspy.

"Why, you are in-"

"Has she woken yet?" the brown tom couldn't finish. Someone had cut him off. "Mudfur?" the voice spoke again. Mudfur let out a sigh.

"Yes Blueear. She has waken up. But you must-"

"Oh thank Starclan!" Blueear had rushed into the den, pushing the brambles aside. Pearl was taken aback as the she-cat ran up to her and nuzzled her cheek with her muzzle. "I knew you would be okay!" Pearl lay there in shock as Blueear caressed her. She didn't even know this cat! A sudden cough came from the corner of the den. Both Blueear and Pearl turned to see Mudfur sitting with his tail neatly wrapped over his paws, his eyes filled with impatience and annoyance.

"Blueear. I think it's best if you let the young kit rest. She has been out in the forest for who knows how long, and she's as thin as a twig!" Mudfur stood up and softened his tone. "She will be okay. I promise." Blueear looked at the tom with uncertainty, but finally gave a brisk nod.

"Okay. But can I go get her some prey first? As you said, she is very thin." Blueear got up from crouching, keeping her eyes locked with Mudfur's. The brown tom didn't hesitate.

"Okay, but make sure it's small." he instructed. Blueear dipped her head towards Mudfur, and exited the den. She came back a moment later with a mouse in her jaws. She dropped it at Pearl's paws, pushing it a little closer to the she-kit.

"Go on and eat up. I will be back later to check on you." Blueear said, giving Pearl a warm smile. She got up and walked over to the den's entrance.

As soon as Blueear put a paw outside the den, a huge tabby had entered. Startled, Blueear jumped back. Mudfur had turned his head in surprise, eyes widened. The light-colored tabby had a look of solemn in his eyes, his gaze landing on every cat in the den. But he stared at Pearl the longest. Pearl saw that his jaw was twisted at a weird angle, and tucked her paws further under her at the thought of how it ended up like it was. The tabby tom then spoke.

"Greetings Blueear, Mudfur." he meowed.

"Crookedstar." Blueear managed to mew out, dipping her head towards the tom. Mudfur did the same.

"Crookedstar, how is your jaw? Has it been sore lately?" Mudfur padded forward, speaking at a hushed tone.

"It is fine, thank you Mudfur." Crookedstar meowed. He then looked towards Pearl, hardening his gaze. "And who might this be?"

"Oh! Crookedstar, this is a kit I found in the woods. She seemed so cold, and I just had-" Blueear had blurted out, only to be shushed by the flick of Crookedstar's tail.

"What's your name kit?" Crookedstar asked Pearl, his words slow.

"Um.. P-Pearl." Pearl mewled out, shivering under the larger cat's glare.

"Is that so.." Crookedstar meowed, turning his gaze slowly to Blueear. "Blueear, how did you find this kit?" he asked the she-cat, a stern look in his eyes.

"Well, you see Crookedstar… I was out hunting for the last time, since I am moving to the nursery in a couple sunrises. I then heard a slight snuffle, and found Pearl in the snow all by herself! She looked freezing and hungry, and I just couldn't leave her out there." Blueear meowed to Crookedstar. The tabby gave a brief nod.

"Go on."

"So I went to pick her up and bring her back to camp. I knew you wouldn't be very pleased, but I had to give Pearl good shelter, at least for one night. I was about to head back, when suddenly Whitekit and Sandkit come crawling out of the bushes!" Blueear narrowed her eyes at the kits' names.

"Ah yes, those two. Hopefully Reedsong would have dealt with them by now." Crookedstar meowed.

"I hope they get a good punishment. Their mothers were worried sick!" Blueear grunted, shuffling one paw in the dirt.

"I'm sure they will be staying in the nursery for a while." Crookedstar meowed, amusement in his voice. "Anyways, move on with your story." Blueear perked her ears at this. She began telling Crookedstar how she had met Silverstream along the way, Silverstream saying that she was fishing.

"She was soaked. She might have fallen into the water." Blueear mewed.

"Fallen in? She needs to get over here right now! She could be freezing!" Mudfur had suddenly cried out loud.

"I'm sure she will be fine Mudfur. My daughter is strong. If it makes you feel better, I'll send her in later." Crookedstar reassured the brown pelted tom. Mudfur took this as a sign to calm down.

"So yes, I brought Pearl right here. She passed out, but she seems fine now." Blueear went on. She glanced at Pearl, warmth sparkling in her eyes.

"I see." Crookedstar murmured. There was silence for a moment. Blueear awkwardly shifted her eyes to Mudfur, and crossed her paws. Crookedstar's voice broke the silence. "Blueear, you realize the clan is already going through a tough time. It is leaf-bare after all. Do we really need another mouth to feed? I understand Pearl is a kit, but she has her own family. We are keeping her from them."

Pearl trembled at this. These cats didn't realize that she had no family, and she was never going to find them unless she died. She just wanted to cry out and tear up the ground.

 _How much more of this can I take?_

"But Crookedstar!" Blueear pleaded. "I mean- I don't want to be rude, but where would she go? What if her family lives far away?" the blue and white she-cat's tail drooped. She was staring at Crookedstar with large eyes, begging him. Pearl was surprised at Blueear's desperation. It was almost as if Pearl were her own kit. Pearl then began to wonder if she was desperate because she was having kits of her own. She wouldn't want to see her sons and daughters struggling in the snow like this, and it was a motherly instinct. Pearl remembered how Ocean constantly worried about the outside, and how Finn and Pearl would overcome it when they grew up. But Pearl's thoughts were cut short when she heard the deep meow of Crookedstar.

"Fine. I'll think on it. But if I say no, we will have to travel to the nearest twoleg place and drop her off at some cat's den. Don't think I haven't noticed the kittypet smell on her." Crookedstar growled. "We don't want to end up like Thunderclan.."

And with that, Crookedstar stalked out of the den. Blueear sighed.

"Don't worry Blueear. Crookedstar will think of something. He knows what's best." Mudfur meowed softly to Blueear. The she-cat looked at the long haired tom with large eyes.

"Are you sure? We can't just leave the poor kit on her own.." Blueear mewed sadly.

"Remember what Crookedstar said. If we can't keep Pearl, we'll give her to some kittypets." Mudfur informed.

"Yes, I know.. But will they take her-"

"I'm sure they will be willing." Mudfur cut her off. "Now off with you. Pearl needs her rest." the tom started urging Blueear towards the entrance.

"Okay. I'll leave. Take care of her, will you?" Blueear turned her head to Mudfur.

"Yes, of course! I'm a medicine cat. That's what I do!" Mudfur meowed gruffly. He was finally able to shoo the she-cat off, and went back to mixing leaves. Pearl sat up a little more, and looked around. She never found out where she was, and she didn't want to be somewhere she didn't know. She slowly started to stand up. "Whoa there kit!"

As soon as Pearl got up, she was urged back down by Mudfur.

"You need to lie down. You have been travelling very far, and you need your rest!" Pearl blinked up at the the brown tom and obeyed, settling back in her uncomfortable bedding.

At first, there was an awkward silence. Pearl shifted a little in her nest of bramble and moss, and decided it was better to start a conversation. She asked her first question.

"Muddyfur, is it?" she mewed. Mudfur perked up.

"Mudfur." the brown tom corrected.

"Oh, right. Um.." Pearl gave an embarrassed flick of her ear. "Where am I? I never really.. Got an answer from you the first time I asked.."

"Oh! I didn't tell you?" Mudfur turned to look at the small she-kit. Pearl gave a small shake of her head. "Hm. Well then.." Mudfur set down some herbs he was working with and came to settle down in front of her.

"You are in Riverclan, which is one of the four clans of the forest. You are probably wondering what the four clans are, so I will explain. The three other clans in the forest are Thunderclan, Shadowclan, and Windclan. Each clan has its' distinct features from one another, like where they roam and what different techniques they have to surviving. But something we each share is our belief in our warrior ancestors. Starclan." Mudfur looked up with wide eyes, as if he were imagining the many cats from the past standing right in front of him. Pearl cocked her head to the side.

"Starclan?" she mewed questioningly. Mudfur looked back down, snapping out of his daze.

"Why, Starclan is the clan in the sky. The clan of wisdom and prosperity. Cats who die are sent to Starclan, where they can thrive happily. They might even get to see their kin who have passed." Pearl winced at the last words. Her kin were all gone, does that mean they were in Starclan? She opened her mouth to speak, but she was silenced by the flick of Mudfur's tail.

"Quiet kit. It is time for you to rest. You still must be tired out after the long journey you took."

The tom stood up and went to the corner of the den, then came back with something wrapped in a leaf. He dropped it in front of Pearl and nudged it towards her. "Here, take some of these." he opened the leaf wrap, which revealed some small seeds in it. Pearl sniffed it nervously.

"Don't worry, Pearl. They are poppy seeds. They will help you sleep." Mudfur reassured. Pearl was a little hesitant, but after a couple heartbeats she licked up a few of the seeds. Mudfur looked warmly at the kit and picked the leaf full of seeds up. "You will be okay by tomorrow. We will find out where you belong." he then stalked away. Pearl watched as he disappeared to the back of the den, and felt herself slowly slipping into sleep. She stretched and tucked her paws under her, resting her head on her bedding.

 _I wonder what will happen to me the next morning.. Oh well… We will have to find out.._ Pearl slowly closed her eyes, darkness taking her vision once more.

 **A/N** **\- Welp! This seems like a good place to stop! School has just started for me, so it's going to be a little harder to post. Y'know. Cause of the work I have to do… Anyways, see ya in the next chapter of** _ **Oceanclaw's Past**_


End file.
